


Clextober 2018

by M_E_Scribbles



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Clextober, F/F, Halloween, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pumpkins
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-19
Updated: 2018-10-21
Packaged: 2019-08-04 06:57:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16341998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/M_E_Scribbles/pseuds/M_E_Scribbles
Summary: My humble submissions to this year's Clextober!Day 13: Pumpkins - AKA Raven drags Clarke along to a pumpkin carving party because she wants to hang out with Anya. Clarke is... reluctant.Day 12: Horror Movies - Clarke convinces Lexa, her girlfriend of 11 months, to partake in her Halloween tradition: watching horror movies. She finds out exactly why Lexa never watches them.Day 11: Just a bunch of Hocus Pocus - A retelling of the classic movie 'Hocus Pocus' staring Clarke, her little brother Aden, and Lexa.Day 10: Historical/Back in TimeDay 9: Costume PartyDay 8: Vampires/WerewolvesDay 7: This WitchDay 6: Haunted HousesDay 5: Urban Legends/FolkloreDay 4: Ghosts/ZombiesDay 3: Fall FestivitiesDay 2: Trick or TreatDay 1: Happy Halloween!! FREE DAY!!





	1. Not a Chance, Pumpkin!

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to Clextober!!
> 
> This will be my submission to this year's celebration. I hope you all enjoy!
> 
> If you have any prompts, or if there's any of my Halloween one shots from last year you want sequels to, just let me know. You can leave it in a comment or you can go to my [Tumblr](https://imaginaryhistorianme.tumblr.com/) and let me know there!
> 
> Hope to hear from you!!

“I’m sorry,” Clarke said with a sigh. She pinched the bridge of her nose and squeezed her eyes closed. She could feel a headache coming on. “I just worked 36 hours, the last 7 and a half in the OR, and you want me to do what on my one day off?”

“We’re going to a pumpkin carving party.” Raven reiterated. She grinned at the scowl spreading on her roommate’s face.

Sighing again, Clarke shook her head. “No. I’m sorry, Rae. I know you probably want me to be your wingman or whatever but I just can’t. I’m too tired.”

“You can take a nap. You can sleep for a couple of hours – ” Raven said, then gulped at the glare she received. “3 hours. You can sleep for 3 hours. I’ll wake you up and you’ll have, like, an hour to get ready.”

“Raven,” Clarke whined.

“Please? Pretty please?” Raven clasped her hands in front of her. “I’ve been trying to get in with Anya for months! Ever since Octavia introduced us. This is my chance!”

Quick mental math had Clarke shaking her head. “I get to sleep for 3 whole hours. And then I get to borrow that black leather jacket that looks so much better on me than it does on you.”

“I was going to wear that.”

“Wear the red one. Anya won’t know what hit her.” Clarke replied. She took a step back and closed her bedroom door. “Goodnight, Raven!”

****

Just over 4 hours later, Clarke found herself outside an impressive skyscraper. She tilted her head back and whistled. “Well, at least we know Anya really does have money.”

“This isn’t Anya’s place,” Raven said absentmindedly. She scrolled through her phone as she waited for Octavia response to her text. “Lexa lives here.”

“Lexa?” Clarke echoed.

“Yeah, Lexa Woods. She’s Anya’s younger sister. She’s… I mean, I’ve only met her once but she was nice. Intense too.” Raven explained. She slid her phone into her pocket as Octavia appeared in the lobby.

Clarke groaned. “I have to meet Anya and Anya’s intense sister? On 3 hours of sleep?”

“You’ll be fine. Just grab a drink and a pumpkin and hide in a corner.”

“I’m leaving in 2 hours.”

Raven scoffed. “You have a lot of confidence in my skills, Griffin.”

“No. I have confidence in my ability to look pitifully tired. So, whether you need me or not, I’m out in 120 minutes.”

“Be serious, Clarke.” Octavia said from her spot holding the door open for her friends.

“I’m very serious. 119 minutes and 42 seconds.” Clarke read off the timer on her watch. She grinned at her friends. “Well, let’s get this done.”

Octavia swept an arm into the lobby. “The private elevator is this way. The others are waiting for us.”

“119 minutes.” Clarke read off in a sing-song voice.

“Please don’t do that the entire time we’re here,” Raven asked.

Clarke shrugged as Octavia punched a code into the panel by the elevator. “I make no promises.”

****

The penthouse was even more impressive than Clarke was expecting. The butler met them at the door. The butler! She handed over her coat with a small smile and was ushered, by the maid, into the living room.

Before Clarke even knew what was going on she had a whiskey on the rocks in her hand and a pumpkin tucked under her other arm. She looked around, searching for a spot to start the carving process. She opted to join the others on the floor.

The butler handed her a large sheet of plastic, the kind a painter would put down to protect the floor, and handed her an array of knives.

“Normally we just use the one?” Clarke said.

“Ms. Woods wanted to ensure everyone had a good time. She understands some people take this tradition seriously,” the butler replied.

Clarke nodded and watched the man disappear into another room. She waited another moment before shrugging and getting to work.

By the time she’d successfully opened and emptied her pumpkin, there was only an hour or so left on her timer. Just as she was starting to decide on a design, her attention was drawn to the entryway to the living room.

“Who?” Clarke whispered.

No one answered. Mostly because no one heard her. The others were all on their feet, greeting the newest person to the party.

Taking her time, Clarke studied her.

Tall, no… statuesque and lithe. She looked like a goddess from some legend. Her chestnut hair was pulled back into a braid and her eyes, well, Clarke was too far away to see the color but she knew they had to be mesmerizing. The tailored suit she was wearing definitely fit her well. It hugged her in all the right –

“ – and this is Clarke, my best friend.” Raven’s voice cut into her thoughts.

Clarke’s eyes snapped up, meeting the woman’s smiling gaze.

“Say hello, Clarke,” Octavia ordered.

“Hello, Clarke,” she said absentmindedly. Then she cleared her throat and shook her head. “I need the bathroom. Can someone point me in the right direction?”

The butler appeared again, holding out a hand to help her up. “This way, ma’am.”

Moving as fast as she could, she left the living room. As soon as she was in the bathroom, she splashed water on her face.

“Get a grip, Griffin!” She hissed at her reflection. “She’s just a woman. You’ve seen one before. Just…” a quick check of her timer, “46 more minutes and you can go. You can carve a stupid face on a stupid pumpkin in 46 minutes!”

Another splash of water and a firm nod at herself and Clarke was heading back to the living room.

Except Raven and Anya had paired themselves off. They were on the far side of the room, their heads close and their giggles carrying across the space. And Octavia had disappeared altogether with Lincoln.

Shaking her head, Clarke approached her pumpkin and sank down in front of it. She considered the shape of the gourd, and the size, before trying to picture an outcome in her mind.

“Mind if I sit here?”

The woman was standing in front of Clarke again. This time, she was wearing jeans and a black v-neck shirt.

“The others are… well, they’ve paired themselves off and I so do not want to get in the middle of whatever is happening.” She explained.

“Oh! Yeah! Sure!” Clarke squeaked. She closed her eyes and cleared her throat. “I mean, this is your home right?”

“It is,” The woman responded. She sank down next to Clarke and offered a hand. “So you’ve guessed I’m Lexa?”

“Process of elimination,” Clarke said with a nod.

Lexa smiled. “They told me you’re clever. I never doubted it. You’d have to be to keep up with them.”

“Who?”

“Raven and Octavia.”

“Oh no,” Clarke gasped. “They didn’t?”

Shrugging and laughing, Lexa confirmed her newest fear. “You want me to tell you they didn’t try to hook us up? All those dinners you canceled and nights out you’ve rescheduled?”

“I’m so sorry!”

“It’s okay. They told me they didn’t tell you. Something about you being too stubborn to know what’s good for you.”

That had Clarke’s brow arching. She smirked and tilted her head. “Are you saying you’d be good for me?”

“I’m saying I could be good to you.” Lexa replied easily, a smirk of her own twisting her lips. “Good for you? I think you’d have to decide on that.”

Clarke took a moment to consider her. Then she laughed. “I think you’re a smooth one, Lexa.”

“When I need to be.” Lexa replied without missing a beat. Then she leaned into Clarke’s space. “Do I need to be? Or can I just ask you out now?”

“Way to woo a girl,” Clarke said teasingly.

Winking as she sat up straight, Lexa nodded. “Wooing it is then.”

“Better hurry, Lexa. You only have 38 minutes until I leave.”

“Well, in that case I have a confession.”

“What’s that?” Clarke asked.

“I have never carved a pumpkin before. I have no idea what I’m doing.”

****

It took 20 minutes for Clarke to help Lexa open and empty her pumpkin. The entire time, Lexa was whispering suggestive things in her ear or teasing her or making her laugh hard enough for a snort or 2 to escape.

“Are you really going to make me carve this thing in 18 minutes?” Lexa asked with a pout.

“Yes.” Clarke answered without hesitation. “I’m running on 3 hours of sleep. I want to go home and go to bed.”

Lexa smiled and leaned into her. “You could always stay the night here.”

“What kind of lady do you take me for?” Clarke faked outrage.

“I’d imagine the exact kind of lady I need.”

Blushing, Clarke dipped her head. “You’re getting into that wooing nonsense aren’t you?”

Considering the woman next to her for a second, Lexa nodded. “I am. I’m serious about wanting to take you out.”

“I’ll think about it.”

“How about a bet?”

Clarke tilted her head and narrowed her eyes. “I’m listening.”

“You and I have – ” a quick glance at Clarke’s timer, “16 minutes to carve our pumpkins. I’m going to take mine over there and do my best. You stay here. At the end, we have our friends decide who made the better jack-o-lantern. If I win, you agree to go out with me this weekend. If you win, we play this cat and mouse game for a while.”

“Deal!”

****

**_One Year Later…_ **

“I still think you cheated,” Clarke muttered as she helped her girlfriend carry 2 large pumpkins to the elevators.

“It was a year ago, my love. Let it go,” Lexa replied with a roll of her eyes. She leaned in to kiss the pout on Clarke’s lips. “But I didn’t cheat.”

Clarke huffed as Lexa stepped out of the elevator and into the penthouse. The butler, who Clarke had since learned was named, Brantley, met them in the foyer.

“Brantley, tell Lexa we know she cheats when she wants to win!”

“No idea what you’re talking about, Miss.”

“Traitor!” Clarke gasped.

Coming up behind her, Lexa wrapped her arms tightly around Clarke’s hips. “I pay his salary, my love. He’s loyal to me.”

“Even if you do steal 50s from the bank during Monopoly night,” Brantley muttered as he walked by them.

“I heard that!” Lexa called after him.

“Let’s just get everything set up for the party. I’m sure everyone will be here early.” Clarke said.

Shaking her head, Lexa turned her by her hips and pursed her lips. “Kiss first.”

Sighing dramatically, Clarke gave her a quick peck before stepping away. “This party was your idea. I blame you for this.”

****

Just over an hour later, Lexa was pacing in the living room. Raven and Anya had arrived with Lincoln and Octavia in tow. They’d brought along the surprise she’d planned for Clarke.

And now the nerves set in.

“What’s all this?” Clarke asked as she came out of the bedroom in her sweats. Well, in Lexa’s sweats that she stole and refused to give back. Not that Lexa minded.

“Oh,” Raven whispered to Octavia. “She’s gonna be so mad at herself for that outfit!”

“Clarke,” Lexa squeaked. She cleared her throat and beckoned Clarke forward. Once she was in front of her, Lexa stepped to the side.

Confusion overtook Clarke’s face. “Why are our pumpkins carved already?”

“Do they look familiar?” Raven prompted.

“They look like the ones we carved last year. In the bet that Lexa cheated to win.”

“I didn’t cheat. I won fair and square. Just like I won your heart over.” Lexa said. She urged Clarke closer to the pumpkins. “Look closely.”

Clarke stepped closer, confused about the pumpkins and Lexa’s behavior.

“What… is that a…” Clarke narrowed her eyes and looked inside one of the pumpkins.

“A picture of us on our first date? Exactly 1 year ago today? Yes, it is.” Lexa said behind her. She swallowed thickly and started the speech she’d been planning for almost a year. “I knew that night I was going to do this someday.”

“Do what?” Clarke asked as she turned around. Then she gasped. “No! Not when I’m dressed like this!”

“Called it!” Raven shouted, holding her hand up for a high five. Octavia swatted it down.

Clarke tried to go back to the bedroom, to find something nicer to wear. Lexa wasn’t having it.

“Stay still!” Lexa laughed. “I’m only doing this once and I’m doing it now. You can change in a minute.”

“Yes!”

“I haven’t asked yet!”

Whining, Clarke stepped closer to her girlfriend. “I don’t need a speech, Lexa. I know how much you love me.”

“Shush and let me talk.” Lexa rolled her eyes. She cleared her throat and waited for Clarke’s nod before she spoke again. “As I was saying. I knew on that first date I would be doing this someday. I listened to Raven and Octavia rave about you for months while you cancelled or moved around plans. I listened to them talk about their brilliant friend, Clarke. I saw pictures and videos they’d saved from vacations and trips back home. I felt like I knew you before I met you. And then, you finally came to one of our planned gatherings.

“As soon as I saw you, I knew I was in trouble. You weren’t the type I would go for. You were so much more. And then you challenged me. And continued to challenge me from that day on. And… You just fit me. You’re you. And I love you.”

“I love you too.” Clarke whispered through the tears.

“Marry me?” Lexa held up the open ring box.

Clarke laughed and nodded. “Yes!”

They kissed then. Long enough to have Raven shouting at them to break it up.

“I was almost afraid to see the ring,” Clarke whispered to her fiancée.

“Why?”

“I thought it’d be pumpkin shaped!”

Lexa tossed her head back and laughed loudly. Then she pulled Clarke in for another kiss. As they separated, she whispered, “You should look at the engraving!”

And there it was. On the delicate gold band, an etching of a pumpkin and the date when they met.

“You’re never going to let me forget how we met, are you?”

“Not a chance, pumpkin!”


	2. Let's Watch a Movie!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke convinces Lexa, her girlfriend of 11 months, to partake in her Halloween tradition: watching horror movies. She finds out exactly why Lexa never watches them.

In the 11 months since they’d met and started dating, Clarke and Lexa had done nearly everything together. Game nights, movie marathons, all-nighters studying for exams. They’d gone on those first few shy and timid dates. They’d been caught in heated make-out sessions by nearly all their friends. They’d played hookie from class just to stay in bed all day. They’d even met each others’ parents.

One thing they hadn’t done yet was watch a horror movie together. They’d met in the early part of November so they bonded over Christmas cookies and carols. They’d kissed for the first time underneath mistletoe Raven had strategically placed.

That was about to change.

“We’ll start with _Scream_ and go on from there. We’ll see how we’re feeling once we get through this one. There’s technically 3 more but I’ve never liked the fourth one,” Clarke said as she opened the case to the special edition bluray of the 90s classic.

“Why are we watching this? Isn’t it supposed to be lame?” Lexa asked from her spot on the couch.

“It’s a classic!” Clarke argued. “It was the first rated R movie my parents let me watch. I watch it every Halloween.”

“Or…” Lexa drawled as she surfed the channels. She pointed at the TV and said, “We could watch _Halloweentown_ since you were just saying the other day that you hadn’t seen it on this year. Or _Hocus Pocus_! We could watch that!”

Shaking her head, Clarke plucked the remote from Lexa’s hand. She placed the disc in the tray and impatiently waited through all the legal warnings.

“You’ll love this movie, Lex. I promise! It’s so good!”

“Well, it does have a 79% on Rotten Tomatoes. And a 7.4 after 252,053 votes on IMDb,” Lexa replied as she scrolled through her phone. “Only a 65 on Metascore though.”

Clicking her tongue, Clarke held out her hand for the phone. Once Lexa reluctantly gave it up, Clarke set it, and her own phone, on the entertainment center. “No phones. We aren’t going to be those people who sit down for a movie night and then just play on our phones.”

“Why does everyone always rag on this movie if it has such good ratings?”

“Because the sequels suck.” Clarke replied. She shuffled forward to place a chaste kiss on Lexa’s lips before heading toward the little kitchen in the tiny apartment she shared with Raven and Octavia. “I’ll get the snacks. Can you hit play?”

Lexa nodded, even though Clarke couldn’t see her. Then she craned her neck to look at her. “Can you grab my peanut butter M&Ms? I forgot them on the counter.”

“Already in my hand, babe. And a beer for you too.”

“You do spoil me.” Lexa grinned up at Clarke as she made her way back to the couch.

Settling onto the large couch, Clarke nestled into Lexa’s side. Like always, Lexa’s arm came up and wrapped around her shoulders, her fingertips tracing absentminded patterns into Clarke’s bicep. As the movie started playing, Clarke pulled the soft grey afghan off the back of the couch and draped it over their laps.

“I still don’t see why we have to do this.” Lexa whispered as the movie started.

“It’s Halloween.” Clarke replied. She popped a piece of popcorn in her mouth. “Now shush.”

“All I’m saying is that Halloween can mean corn mazes and hay rides and pumpkin patches and haunted houses. Not… this.” Lexa waved a hand at the TV.

Choosing to ignore her, Clarke settled further into her side.

“Hey! Drew Barrymore!” Lexa said, perking up. “You didn’t tell me she was in this! How did I not know she was in this?”

“Lexa, I love you but I need you to stop talking.”

Literally biting her lip, Lexa sat back with a pout. She ate her candy, one piece at a time.

“Clarke?” Lexa whispered after a minute. “Are they… they won’t kill Drew right?”

“Shush,” Clarke whispered again.

By the time they reached the climax of the first scene, Lexa had pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. Clarke was still leaning into her, silently enjoying the movie.

“What the fuck?” Lexa whispered as the killer jumped through a window to tackle Drew Barrymore to the ground. When he stabbed her, Lexa cringed. “Nope. Not cool.”

“It’s okay, Lex.” Clarke said absentmindedly.

They were silent for a while, eating their snacks and sipping on their beers. Then, Lexa perked up.

“Monica! That’s Monica!” She said, pointing at the screen.

“Yes, Lexa. That’s Courteney Cox.” Clarke chuckled and shook her head.

“Rose McGowan!” Lexa pointed again a half second later. “That crazy bitch!”

Shaking her head, Clarke leaned forward to grab the remote. She paused the movie and turned to her girlfriend. “Lexa. Really?”

“But… Monica?” Lexa blinked at the now frozen screen. “What happened?”

“Lex. I’m just going to get all of this out of the way. Yes, this movie has Drew Barrymore in it. And Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Rose McGowan, David Arquette, Henry Winkler, Matthew Lillard, and Jamie Kennedy. I think that’s all. Oh, Skeet Ulrich too.” Clarke rattled the names off easily. She waited a moment, until Lexa nodded, before continuing. “Okay. Now that we’ve settled that. I’m going to press play. And we are going to watch it without announcing every actor who comes on screen.”

Smiling sheepishly, Lexa nodded. “I’m sorry, babe. I’m just distracting myself.”

“You’re a dork. I know this. I love that about you.” Clarke pecked her lips before pressing playing again. “Now hold me. I’m cold.”

By the time they were halfway finished with the movie, Lexa was curled up in a ball. Her eyes were shut tightly and her hands were fisted in front of her face. Clarke was rubbing her back and whispering under her breath.

“It’s okay, babe. It’s okay. I’m right here.” Clarke said over and over again. “It’s just a movie. Don’t worry.”

“Clarke,” Lexa whined under her breath. She opened her eyes enough to look at Clarke. “I hate horror movies.”

“We watch zombie movies all the time.”

Rolling her eyes, Lexa replied, “Well that’s different. They aren’t real. Zombies, werewolves, vampires. They don’t exist.”

“Lex?”

“Yeah?”

Clarke paused the movie and turned to face her girlfriend. “Do you want me to put _Zombieland_ in?”

“Does that count as a horror movie?” Lexa asked. She glanced at the screen before looking to the ground. “I don’t want to ruin your tradition.”

“We’ll start out own tradition.” Clarke smiled and stood to take the disc out.

That had Lexa sitting up and grinning. “Yeah? A Clarke and Lexa tradition? What’ll it be?”

“I’m thinking movies featuring zombies, werewolves, and vampires?”

“But you like horror movies?”

“Raven and Octavia will watch them with me some time. I’m not worried about it,” Clarke said with a shrug. She winked at Lexa. “I’ve seen them all a million times anyway.”

Lexa watched as she switched the TV over to her Amazon account. When Clarke turned back around, she found Lexa stretched out on her back, arms open and waiting for her.

“Thank you for not making me watch the rest of that. And for not harassing me about hating horror movies,” Lexa said.

“Of course,” Clarke smiled. She settled on top of Lexa, nestling into her neck with a kiss to her collarbone. “I don’t want you to suffer through a movie you hate just so I can watch it. Not when I can watch it some other time without you. I’d rather you enjoy our time together.”

“Well that’s just silly,” Lexa replied. She kissed Clarke’s head. “I love spending time with you. Even when I’m terrified out of my mind.”


	3. Hocus Pocus Indeed!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A retelling of the classic movie 'Hocus Pocus' staring Clarke, her little brother Aden, and Lexa. First, Clarke resurrects 3 sister witches. Then she and the others have to stop them from completing a ritual that will grant them immortality.

“Can we just skip over all the stories? Please? Just this once?” Clarke begged as she sat down at the table with her parents and her little brother Aden. “I can’t handle it this year.”

Clicking her tongue, Abby responded, “They are family legends. You know – ”

“Our family comes from Salem. Descended from the witches. Blah, blah, blah.” Clarke rolled her eyes and shook her head. “So you have to move us across the country, literally from one coast to the other, to be closer to our family history?”

“Can’t you just appreciate the history you’re surrounded by?” Jake asked. Always the peacemaker between his firebrand of a wife and spitfire of a daughter, he glanced back and forth between the 2.

“I’m moving back to LA for college. You know that right?” Clarke snapped, her eyes narrowing on her mother.

Abby only nodded. “Yeah, yeah. You’ve mentioned that about 5 dozen times since the move, Clarke. But you still have to survive your senior year here. That’s 7 months. Plus the summer, so 10 months. And honestly, if you don’t lose the attitude I’m not sure I’ll be able to resist pulling out the family’s Book of Shadows and hexing you to kingdom come!”

“Let’s go to school!” Aden squeaked, his little voice cutting through the tension. “Miss Binx has all kinds of fun activities planned for us.”

At her parent’s pointed looks, Clarke plastered a big, only slightly fake, smile on her face. She stood from the table, grabbed her phone and winked at Aden. “Come on then. We’ve got just enough time to swing through Dunkin on the way.”

“No coffee!” Abby called after her.

“He’ll get a hot chocolate!” Clarke yelled back.

“I meant for you,” Abby muttered as she took a bit of her oatmeal.

****

In the three weeks since they’d moved to Salem, Clarke had managed to make a few friends. Raven, a genius troublemaker, and Octavia, the intelligent jock, had quickly taken Clarke under their wing. Not that she needed it. Being from California, Los Angeles in particular, meant she was a bit of a novelty. Being the daughter of a world-renowned surgeon and one of the leading experts in environmental engineering meant she also had money.

Her brand new Range Rover caught more than a few eyes her first days.

When she found herself in history, her last and least favorite class of the day, she was happy to have Raven in there with her. She already knew all about the history of Salem. Abby had made sure of that.

At the moment, her teacher, Mrs. Dennison, was rambling on about the witches. A story that Clarke had most definitely heard a few hundred times.

“Haven’t historians concluded that there was most likely a fungus in the grain? One that caused hallucinations and hysteria?” Clarke finally asked.

The class fell silent around her.

“Excuse me?” Mrs. Dennison questioned.

“Ergotism. Or ergot. There’s a fungus called _Claviceps purpurea_ that affects cereal grasses like rye and wheat.” Clarke explained, her tone bored and monotonous. She’d said the same thing to her mother several times. At Mrs. Dennison’s blank look, Clarke continued, “It gets into the kernels and changes their color to a purple sort of color which can be mistaken for discolored grains. Those grains contain several chemicals, like lysergic acid, which is a component of LSD. Those chemicals got into the bread and after time, they built up in peoples’ systems. They can cause contractions of smooth muscles and affect the nervous system.”

“There were other symptoms caused by the witches during the trials.” A boy, Finn Collins, called out from the back of the room.

Rolling her eyes, Clarke arched a brow at her teacher. “Eating food contaminated with ergot can also cause delusions or hallucinations, muscle spasms, a crawling sensations on the skins, and other symptoms too.”

“Certainly, that could be a possibility but there has to be particular conditions for that fungus to grow,” Mrs. Dennison conceded.

“And researchers have found that all the conditions were present in 1691.” Clarke countered immediately. She shrugged her shoulders. “I know Salem has a claim to fame because of the Witch Trials but… well, I think it was probably just caused by fungus.”

“You want to just steam roll our town’s history like that?”

A new voice joined the conversation. This one Clarke didn’t mind so much. Most definitely not. Lexa Woods was more than welcome to talk to her any time.

Clarke turned in her seat to face her. She took a moment to study her. She was, without a doubt, the most beautiful girl Clarke had ever seen. And she was fiercely intelligent.

“If it makes you feel better,” Clarke said softly. “They think the same fungus caused the dancing plague of 1518.”

“Why would that make her feel better?” Anya Forrester, Lexa’s cousin and best friend, snapped.

Shrugging, Clarke winked at Lexa. “I’m just full of fun information. I thought maybe Lexa might like to find that out for herself.”

“You’re certainly full of something,” Lexa rolled her eyes and laughed.

“Don’t take offense,” Clarke said as she raised her hands. “We all know Halloween is about candy and playing tricks.”

Lexa leaned forward in her seat, her green eyes narrowing on Clarke. “Halloween is the modern adaptation of an ancient festival. It isn’t our fault you can’t appreciate our history.”

“Well, maybe you don’t believe in what happened during the trials,” Mrs. Dennison spoke ominously, breaking the long look between the girls. “But what about before?”

“Before?” Clarke repeated.

Nodding, the teacher walked to her laptop. She hooked it up to the projector and typed quickly. A picture of a stone house in the woods popped up.

The class shifted in their seats.

Whatever that house was or whoever lived there, it was obvious the other kids knew it.

“That’s the home of the Azgeda sisters.” The teacher grinned at Clarke’s blank look.

“Who?” Clarke asked.

More typing followed as the teacher spoke. “The Azgeda sisters. They were three sisters, Nia, Echo, and Ontari. They lived in the mid-1600s just outside of Salem proper. They were said to be witches, reviled but the townspeople. No matter the rumors, women still went to them for potions. Love potions, remedies for fertility, there are even claims that the sisters made potions to make some women better cooks.”

“So they were catchall witches?” Clarke interrupted. “Seriously? Potions to cook better?”

“The sisters, however, fell under suspicion when a generation of the townsfolk aged normally but the sisters did not age at all. When the townspeople from a neighboring village claimed their children had gone missing, and had been going missing for years, Salem’s people immediately looked to the sisters.” The teacher finished her searching and switched on the projector. The portraits of 3 women popped up on the screen. “It wasn’t until a young girl named Diana went missing from Salem and shortly after that, her older brother, Wells, disappeared too. Legend says he was turned into a black cat. The very cat that still roams around the Azgeda estate every Halloween night. The father of the children and the preacher of the town, a man named Thelonious Jaha, lead the townsfolk out to the Azgeda estate and brought the sisters in for a trial.”

Clarke scoffed and shook her head. “Sounds like mass hysteria to me.”

“The sisters,” the teacher bit out and glared at Clarke. “Were convicted of witchcraft. When Thelonious Jaha asked where his children were located the sisters laughed. Nia, the oldest of the sisters, smirked and settled deeper into her chair. When Jaha demanded an answer, Nia answered, ‘I do believe she’s mostly in my eyes,’ and cackled.”

“Let me guess,” Clarke said with a sigh. “The sisters were executed? Hanged? Burned at the stake?”

The teacher shook her head. “Clarke Griffin, you really shouldn’t mock things you don’t understand. The sisters were hung by their necks until they were dead. But not before they cursed their house and their land.”

Before the teacher could say any more, the bell rang. Scooping up her books, Clarke hurried out of the room, completely done with the stories of the town’s history.

****

Later that evening, Clarke sat in her room and stared at the wall. Well, she stared at a picture on the wall.

It was of her family on the beach. They were all beaming at the camera, sunglasses on and salt water in their hair. Her surfboard was in the sand next to her.

She missed the beach. And the waves. And her friends.

Speaking of friends, Raven had sent her a message earlier. Something about a party somewhere.

Loading Instagram on her phone, Clarke searched for Lexa’s profile. Most of her pictures were aesthetic. Pictures of trees and flowers, there were a few of a waterfall. Interspersed, she found pictures of Lexa, Anya, and Lincoln, another cousin.

“Clarke,” Aden said as he stepped into her room. “Are you staring at Lexa’s pictures again?”

“How do you know about Lexa?” Clarke asked, dropping her phone quickly.

“You talk in your sleep.”

With a roll of her eyes, Clarke asked, “What do you want?”

“Mom says you have to take me Trick-or-Treating.”

“No.”

“Mom said!”

“Don’t care. Go on your own.”

“I’m 9!”

“You’ll survive.”

“Please Clarke?” Aden pouted as he moved further into her room. “Please?”

Sighing, Clarke turned to face him. “Fine! But I’m not dressing up.”

“Mom has your costume downstairs! Thanks, Clarke!”

****

Before she knew what was happening, Clarke was dressed up as a Gryffindor and walking Aden, a little Hufflepuff, around their neighborhood. She had her own bag for candy but hadn’t actually asked for any. Instead, she let Aden run around from house to house while she trailed behind him.

“I better not see any of my classmates.” Clarke growled at him when they turned down a new and unfamiliar street.

“Relax.” Aden shot back. He grinned up at her. “What are the chances any of your classmates are filthy rich?”

He gestured ahead to the massive house in front of them.

No.

It was a mansion.

“Hurry up.” Clarke said.

Aden grabbed her hand and pulled her up the walk. The front door was wide open. There was a man standing next to it, one who looked like a security guard, but he didn’t even acknowledge them.

In the foyer, there was a huge cauldron filled with candy.

“Clarke,” Aden said, his jaw dropping and his eyes growing round. “Are they going to make us drink cider and bob for apples?”

“What?” Clarke chuckled quietly.

Making a face, Aden pointed toward the man standing behind a table. He was in a costume straight form the 1700s. “He’s serving cider, Clarke. I hate cider.”

“Just get some candy.” She replied, turning him away from the man and back toward the cauldron. “The sign says take 5 pieces.”

Aden rushed to the cauldron, gasping when he saw all his options. “These are all _king size_ candy bars! I can take 5?”

“That’s what the sign says.”

“Are you sure?”

“I can read, so yes.”

“But, Clarke! _King size_!”

“I know. But the sign says 5.”

“I don’t want to take too much.”

“So don’t take 6. Take 5 and let’s go!”

“I can really take 5?”

“Aden!”

“You can really take 5. It’s okay.” A new voice joined the conversation.

Lexa.

Not just Lexa though. Lexa who was dressed up in a costume. But not any ordinary costume. She looked like a warrior from a post-apocalyptic world. There where buckles and snaps everywhere. And 2 pieces of tire serving as a pauldron. And a sash. A red sash.

“Hey,” Clarke said and smiled. “What’re you doing here?”

“I live here. Don’t worry about crashing the party, they’re all my parents’ friends.” Lexa replied, her cool eyes meeting Clarke’s for a second before looking back to Aden. “You’re a Hufflepuff?”

“Hi, Lexa!” Aden squeaked.

Tilting her head, Lexa asked, “You know my name?”

“Oh yeah, Clarke’s always staring at your Instagram pictures!” Aden announced loudly. He grinned up at Lexa and added, “She told Raven she likes your… what’d you call them, Clarke? Yabos?”

Choking on air, Clarke’s eyes grew round as she shook her head.

No.

Not cool.

He should know better.

It didn’t matter. Clarke would get him back for that.

“Does she?” Lexa asked, arching a brow and meeting Clarke’s eyes again.

“Nope!” Clarke nearly shouted. She grabbed a handful of candy bars and shoved them in Aden’s bag. “There’s your candy. Let’s go.”

“Whoa!” Aden fought Clarke’s grip on his hand. “Who are they supposed to be?”

Clarke groaned and stopped trying to yank him out of the house.

“Oh. They’re supposed to be the Azgeda sisters.” Lexa said.

There were three women dressed in dark dresses and long white cloaks.

“Like Miss Binx told us about!” Aden said excitedly.

“Right! Just like that.” Lexa nodded and grinned. “You like that story?”

“Yeah!” Aden nodded. “Mom says we come from the witches of Salem. But she never mentioned the Azgeda sisters. Not once. So Miss Binx told us the story and I asked Mom today and she said she’d heard the story but thought I’d be scared if I heard it.”

Lexa stood to her full height and smiled. “Well. How about you let me get changed and I’ll take you to their house?”

“What?” Clarke interjected.

“Yeah. Mom owns it. Runs a local history museum there. It’s a hobby I guess.” Lexa explained. She smiled at the confusion on Clarke’s face. “If you want, I can meet you at your place? So you can change too. Unless you want to wear your Gryffindor robes out into the woods?”

Blinking a few times, Clarke gaped at her. “What? You know where I live?”

“I run every morning,” Lexa said with a smirk. “I’ve seen you doing your workouts. Softball?”

“She plays shortstop!” Aden offered eagerly.

“You… run… what?” Clarke’s mind was very nearly blank.

“Yes. Me run. Now go and get changed. I’ll be over in a few minutes.” Lexa winked and ran up the stairs.

****

15 minutes later, Clarke found herself in the passenger seat of Lexa’s BMW. Aden was practically bouncing in the back seat.

“So,” Clarke said slowly.

“I still think that you should keep an open mind,” Lexa said. She glanced at Clarke.

Clarke scoffed and nodded. “Sure, sure. About witches and ghosts and all of that?”

“Yes.”

“No. Not happening.”

“How are you going to survive life in Salem if you don’t believe?”

Smirking, Clarke turned to face her. “Why do you care how I like Salem?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Lexa answered easily.

Before Clarke could respond, they were at the house. It was a lot bigger than the pictures made it look.

“Whoa!” Aden said as Clarke opened the door for him. “It’s so scary!”

“It’s okay.” Lexa offered her hand to the little boy. “It isn’t as scary when the lights are on. But you should know, legend says there are 100 children buried on these grounds.”

“Well that’s not at all terrifying, Lexa.” Aden deadpanned as he scowled up at her.

Heading into the building, Lexa flipped the switch. The main floor lit up.

“It looks like an old shop. Like that one in Pasadena Dad likes so much. With the rock candy?” Aden said, looking up at Clarke. “It’s cool!”

“It is, buddy.” Clarke nodded and smiled down at him.

Aden hurried around the room, exclaiming at everything he saw. The books, the herbs, the flowers drying from the rafters, the cauldron in the huge fireplace.

“Whoa! What’s that?” Aden hurried to a glass case. “A book? Why’s it in there?”

“It’s the Azgeda sister’s spell book. It was found locked in a chest under the floorboard.” Lexa explained. She came up behind Aden and told him all about the books.

Clarke meandered around the room. She took in all the things that her brother had pointed out. As she made her way toward Aden and Lexa, she spotted a sign next to a candle.

“What’s this? Gross… ‘Made from the fat of a hanged man. Legend says that on a full moon it will raise the spirits of the dead when lit by a virgin on Halloween Night.’ Well that’s not weird at all. The fat of a hanged man?”

“Yeah. That’s the black flame candle,” Lexa said. She met Clarke’s eyes from across the room and smiled.

“Well, let’s lit this sucker!”

Clarke moved back to the cash register. She’d seen a display of fancy lighters there. By the time she grabbed one and flicked the flame to life, Lexa was hurrying toward her.

“Don’t!”

“Oh, come on, Lex.” Clarke grinned at her. “It’s just a bunch of hocus pocus!”

And with that, she lowered the flame toward the wick.

Out of nowhere, a black cat jumped from the rafters, hissing and spitting as it latched onto the collar of Clarke’s jean jacket.

“Stupid cat!” Clarke shouted as she fell to the ground.

As the cat rounded on her again, she picked up the lighter and lit the candle.

At first, there was no reaction to the wick being sparked.

Then all of the light bulbs exploded around them. Lexa grabbed Aden and pulled him to her side, shielding him the best she could. Clarke ducked and covered her head, she could feel the thin glass falling on her hands and in her hair.

Next came a gust of wind too strong for the indoors. Nothing was disturbed on the shelves, on Clarke, Lexa, and Aden reacted to it.

“What the – ” Clarke started to speak, to jest about the strange occurrences.

Before she could make a single joke, the floorboards all began to rise and fall, green light glowing underneath.

When they settled, Clarke’s wide blue eyes found green. “What happened?”

“A virgin lit the candle!” Aden announced, glaring up at his sister.

Clarke started to respond but before a word could escape her mouth, all the candles within the house lit instantaneously and the fireplace roared to life. Clarke whirled around just in time to see the door fly open.

The Azgeda sisters stood just on the other side of the door in all their 17th century glory.

Clarke, Lexa, and Aden all ducked for cover.

“I knew it!” The oldest of the sister, Nia, exclaimed. “I knew my curse would work! Have I ever let you done, sisters?”

Echo, the middle sister, nodded and responded, “Well there was – ”

“Never mind all that!” Nia waved her off.

“I’m so happy to be home!” Ontari, the youngest, sighed as she fell into her favorite chair.

Grinning coldly, Nia waited for her sister to settle before heading to the glass case containing her most prized possession. She tapped the glass lightly. “Book! Book! Wake up for me!”

Before Nia can wake the tome, Echo interrupted her. “Sisters, I smell children!”

“Where?” Nia asked.

“How old?” Ontari questioned.

“In the house,” Echo answered. She sniffed the air. “A little boy. 8 ½ or 9 years old.”

Clapping excitedly, Ontari laughed. “Oh, that’s a yummy age!”

They gathered around one of the cases, talking amongst themselves about the deliciousness of little boys.

Then Nia slammed her hand on the surface.

Aden jumped to his feet.

“What a lovely boy!” Echo smiled down at him.

“Just what we need!” Nia acknowledged. She circled the case and wrapped an arm around Aden‘s shoulders. “Tell, young sir. What year is it?”

“2018.” Aden announced.

Nia gasped. “Sisters! We’ve been slumbering for 350 years!”

“No wonder I’m so hungry,” Echo complained.

“Well, lets us start with this one to gain our strength!” Nia announced. She pointed to the large cauldron and cackled. “Into the pot!”

Before they could more than an inch, Clarke was jumping up from her hiding place. “Hey! Let go of my little brother!”

“2 children?” Ontari gasped.

“The virgin who lit the candle I presume?” Nia inquired.

“Just let him go, you old hags!” Clarke hissed.

Nia stretched out her hands and muttered a few words. Arcs of light shot from her fingers, hitting Clarke in the stomach. With a flick of her wrists, Clarke’s back was scraping along the wall as she’s pushed toward the ceiling.

Before any more damage can be done, Lexa sprung into action. She grabbed a frying pan from a hook on the fireplace and whacked Echo over the head. Then, she called to Aden and gained Ontari’s attention. A quick right hook to the jaw sent the youngest witch sprawling into Nia’s legs.

Lexa watched Clarke fall to the floor and roll away. Then, faster than Lexa could blink, the blond was on her feet and climbing up into the loft.

“Hey!” Clarke yelled, gaining the attention of everyone in the room. “You’ve ticked off Clarke the fire bringer! Prepare for the burning rain of death!”

And then she held her lighter up to the fire sprinkler.

The response was immediate. The system went off, showering water over everything and everyone in the house. The sisters screamed and covered their heads, running around and looking for cover.

Clarke jumped down from the loft, slipping and falling on to her back.

“Let’s go Aden!” Lexa held a hand out for the boy.

Clarke started to scramble to her feet but the black cat from earlier jumped onto her chest.

“You need to grab the book!”

“You… cat’s can’t talk!” Clarke declared.

“And virgins can’t bring 3 witches back from the grave!” The cat snapped. “Grab the book!”

Clarke blinked and scurried to her feet. She grabbed a nearby sign and smashed the glass over the book. As she reached for it, a large eye opened and stared at her.

“What the crap?” Clarke exclaimed, grimacing at the bloodshot eye.

“Clarke!” Lexa shouted from just outside. “Let’s go!”

Running faster than she could ever remember running, Clarke hurried outside to join her brother and Lexa. The black cat was on her heels.

“Follow me!” The cat announced as he sprinted down a dirt path they hadn’t seen earlier, one they would find out led back to the road.

Lexa and Aden stared at Clarke.

“What?” She said with a shrug. “He talks. Witches form 350 years ago came back to life. This is Salem.”

And then she was running after the talking cat. Lexa and Aden were on her heels.

Just as the kids disappear down the path, the sisters were figuring out the ‘burning rain of death’ was really just water. Nia smacked her sisters upside the their heads, calling them fools for believing the girl with the golden hair.

They hurried outside to follow the children.

“What is this?” Nia hissed, staring at the black substance stretching across the ground.

“A black river?” Echo replied.

Looking over Ontari’s head, the older sisters nodded in agreement. They shoved her in front of them, curious about what would happen if one were to touch the black river. When she began dancing on the hard surface, they joined her.

They were greeted by the fire truck.

The three sisters screamed and turned back toward the house. Hiding until the firemen, cursing the teenagers who were obviously playing pranks, left the house.

****

Meanwhile, the black cat led Clarke, Lexa, and Aden to the cemetery.

“Really?” Clarke asked as she held her hand over the cramp in her side.

“It’s sacred ground. They cannot walk here!” The cat announced. He ran through the wrought iron gate. “Come. I have something to show you.”

Hurrying inside, they found him sitting on an old gravestone. They could barely make out the inscription.

“‘Here lie Roan Azgeda, a good man cursed with evil sisters.’” Clarke read carefully. “He’s the witches’ brother?”

“Indeed. And Nia killed him when she found out he’d gone to the magistrate to turn her in.” The cat replied.

“Wells Jaha.” Lexa suddenly said. “You’re Wells!”

“I am.” The cat nodded.

Aden sank down to his knees. “Hello, Wells. I’m Aden.”

“Nice to meet you, Aden,” Wells purred. “I wish it had been under different circumstances.”

Meeting the cat’s glare, Clarke shrugged. “How was I supposed to know the curse was real?”

Before anyone could respond, they heard a whooshing in the air. Then they heard Nia’s cackle.

“Did you really think you could escape me?” She hissed.

Ontari floated down in front of Clarke. She smiled and leaned forward. “Come now, I would like to play with thee.”

Lexa growled before picking up a fallen tree branch and swinging at the witch. “Take a hike!”

“You can’t touch the ground here!” Aden shouted up at her. “Just go away!”

“You know, dear boy, you are correct. _I_ cannot touch you.” Nia laughed and pointed at the grave they’d all been gathered around. “Roan, treacherous brother, rise and do your duty!”

The ground began to shake under them. Lexa gathered Aden into her side and wrapped an arm around Clarke’s hips. She stood as firm as she could, glaring up at the 3 floating women.

A hand shot up through the ground.

“What?” Clarke exclaimed. She wrapped an arm around Lexa, trying to pull her back, away from the hand, and arm, emerging from the grave. Soon, the head and torso were free, arms reaching for Clarke.

“His mouth is sewed shut!” Aden pointed out as he grabbed Clarke and tugged her further away from the zombie.

“Run!” Wells shouted, once again leading the way.

He ran straight to some tunnels. There was no way Clarke would have seen the opening if she hadn’t been shown its location. It was barely big enough for her to slide through.

Lexa helped Clarke to her feet, helping to dust her off. Her brows came together and her thumb skimmed over Clarke’s lip. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Am I bleeding?” Clarke responded. She wiped at her face with the back of her hand.

“Just a little. I think you’ll survive.” Lexa said.

“Hey, Well? Where are we?” Aden interjected. He spun in a circle, looking up at the cobwebs and chips concrete.

Wells sat at Clarke’s feet. “These are old Prohibition tunnels. Not many people know about them. There’s no way the sisters will.”

“Can you get us out of here?” Lexa asked.

“Of course,” Wells answered with a small huff of breath.

Without another word, Wells turned and headed down one of the dark passageways. Aden was right behind him, chattering about the tunnels and asking about Prohibition. Clarke fell in step with Lexa. Without a word, Lexa reached over to take the book from Clarke’s arms, offering a small smile when Clarke thanked her.

When Clarke felt Lexa’s hand on the small of her back, she had to tell herself to calm down. The tunnel was dark and Lexa was just being friendly.

****

“Sisters!” Nia announced as she watched Roan stumble off after the pesky virgin and her brother. “While our brother is hunting the book, we must hunt for children!”

“Children!” Ontari grinned.

Just then, a hissing sound followed by a screech met their ears. A large rectangular box with wheels stopped in front of them.

Doors opened to reveal a man behind another kind of wheel.

“Well, well, well. The Azgeda sisters?” The man asked, a cocky grin bending his lips.

“Yes, and who are you?” Echo retorted.

“My name is Quint,” He said.

Looking around, Nia studied the machine. “What is this contraption? What is its use?”

“I call it a bus.” Quint explains with just a hint of humor in his tone. “And I use it to take you to what you most desire.”

“Ah,” Nia brightened at that. She stood up a little straighter and announced. “We desire children!”

“Well,” Quint chuckled and waved them on board. “It may take me a couple of tries but I don’t think that’ll be a problem!”

And so the sister boarded the bus, heading toward the unknown. But they knew they would find exactly what they searched for.

****

“Are we almost there?” Aden asked.

The tunnels had lost their mystique after the 5th rat they’d come across. Clarke would forever swear those rats were bigger than beagles. The 3rd one had nearly attacked Aden before Wells had swatted at it.

“Very nearly,” Wells replied gently. “Just up ahead, there is a ladder that will take us up to the street.”

He jumped up onto Clarke’s shoulder and bopped her cheek with his head. She took that as an indication to take the lead.

She found the ladder about 15 feet down the tunnel and quickly climbed the rungs to the manhole cover. As soon as she lifted it, Wells jumped up onto the street.

By the time Clarke saw the headlights, it was too late. She slammed the cover back down but by the thump she’d heard she knew Wells had been hit.

“Wells?” Aden shouted. “Is Wells okay?”

Lifting the cover again, Clarke swallowed thickly. The cat was lying motionless in the road. She’d only known the cat for a few hours but he’d saved her life, and Aden’s and Lexa’s, more than once.

She’d just have to mourn later.

Clarke pushed the cover up further and held it while Lexa and Aden climbed up.

Tears filled Aden’s eyes when he spotted Wells on the street. “Poor Wells!”

And then, as if he’d just been waiting for Aden to speak, Wells sat up. He shook his head and coughed a few times before standing. At the incredulous looks the trio gave him he flicked his tail. “What? I told you I can’t die!”

“Wells!” Aden dropped to his knees to hug the cat.

That was the first time all night Clarke heard him purr.

“Clarke,” Lexa touched her arm gently. “There’s a cop over there. Maybe we should tell him what’s happening?”

“I know this is Salem and weird things happen here but do you really think he’s going to believe me?” Clarke replied.

“We have to try!” Lexa insisted.

So they did. Clarke led the way over to the motorcycle cop. She cleared her throat and explained the whole situation. Maybe she wasn’t calm but she was being hunted by 3 witches and a zombie!

“C’mere, kid.” The cop pulled Clarke away from Lexa and Aden. “You telling me you lit the black flame candle?”

“Yeah?”

“That your girlfriend?” He jerked his head toward Lexa.

“No.”

The cop laughed and shook his head. “Well she definitely won’t be now! Why would you light a candle only a virgin can light while you’re with a girl you have a thing for?”

“I don’t… what?”

“Sure, sure. No crush.” The cop rolled his eyes. “Tell you what. It’s Halloween. I don’t feel like taking a bunch of delinquents in for a prank so I’m going to let this slide. But you need to make better decisions next time. Got it?”

“Yes sir.” Clarke nodded enthusiastically.

****

“Stop!” Echo shouted, surging to her feet.

The bus came to a screeching halt as Nia whirled around to face her.

“What is it?” She asked.

“I smell children!” Echo declared.

“Sisters!” Nia stood and grabbed her broom. “Let us go!”

The 2 of them headed toward the front of the bus where Ontari was located. She was sitting on Quint’s lap, learning to drive. At Nia’s declaration, she stood without a thought.

“Wait!” Quint said, catching her hand. “Don’t’ I get your number?”

“Oh…” Ontari hesitated. “Thou wouldst hate me in the morning.”

“No I wouldn’t!” He replied.

Nia squeezed between the two of them. “Yes, thou wouldst.”

“Party pooper!” Quint growled up at her.

With one final sneer, Nia and her sister disembarked from the bus. They looked around, instantly confused by the miniature monsters surging around them.

“I’m confused!” Echo whined. “Where are the children?”

“Is that the Azgeda sisters I see?” A loud voice carried down the sidewalk.

As one, the sisters turned to the source. They gasped when they saw a man dressed as the devil.

“Master!”

“What?” the man said. “Oh right. The get up. Call me Titus.”

“We could not!” Nia blushed and shook her head. “How may be serve you, master?”

Thinking about that for a moment, Titus smiled. “Why don’t you all come in for a visit for now? I know my little old lady would be thrilled to see such authentic costumes!”

“You have a little old woman?” Nia asked.

“Sounds tasty,” Echo muttered beside her.

“Schnookums!” Titus called up the stairs. “Come and greet our guests!”

A few stomping footsteps sound from above. Then an old woman appears on the stairs. She stopped on the second to last step and glared at them.

“Why did they make the Azgeda sisters dresses so skimpy?” She asked before turning to Titus. “And why are you drooling?”

“Now sweety – ”

“Don’t you ‘now sweety’ me! I know your tricks! You better leave your tongue in your face!”

Ontari clicked her tongue at the woman. “Oh, you should not talk to the master like that!”

“I’ll show you master!” The woman growled. She chased the women from her house, her tiny bulldog at her side, barking up a storm.

With one last hiss at the old woman, Nia turned to grab her broom. It wasn’t where they’d left it. Neither were Echo’s or Ontari’s brooms.

“Our brooms!” Nia gasped. “Mother made those!”

“Well, I think I can catch the scent now. Of the virgin and her friends.” Echo said, stepping forward and pulling a deep breath in through her nose.

“And?” Nia asked.

“This way, sisters!” Echo took off at a run.

****

“You’re going to think I’m crazy but I have an idea,” Lexa announced as they hurried down a street.

They’d decided to circle the town a few times, keep moving, in order to confuse the sisters and Roan. Wells knew the town and all it’s hidden gems so they were in and out of the shadows for a couple of hours.

“What?” Clarke asked. She had her arm linked with Lexa’s while they walked. She didn’t know how that’d happened, but she wasn’t mad it had!

“We need to get to the school.” Lexa grinned and pulled Clarke in the direction of the high school.

They followed Lexa’s plan to the letter, confused about the hows and the why but willing to give it a shot.

The sisters showed up just as they finished their preparations. The three of them walking side-by-side in step with one another. It was militaristic.

At Lexa’s nod, Clarke flipped on the PA system.

“Hello there, Azgeda sisters! And welcome to hell! I mean North Salem High!” Clarke cackled through the speakers. She leaned onto the principal’s desk. “I bet you’re wondering where we are! Well, I don’t think you can find us. I bet you Echo’s nose is a little out of whack from that frying pan to the gourd earlier!”

“It is not!” Echo growled at the speaker.

Clarke laughed maniacally. “Anyway. I’ll be seeing you all soon. Have a nice visit!”

She stood and grabbed the book. Holding it close to her chest, She and Lexa ran down the hallway to join Aden and Wells in the art room. As soon as Aden saw them, he pressed play on his phone and set it exactly where Lexa had told him.

It took just over a minute for the sister to find the room. They hurried to the phone and stared down at it.

“A magic speaking device?” Echo asked, poking at it with her finger.

“Are they inside there?” Ontari questioned, moving to stand behind Nia.

Before Nia could answer, the door to the room slammed shut.

And then, it started to get unbearably warm.

Hot even.

Boiling.

“What is this?” Nia shouted, whirling around to face the small window in the door.

The children were there, staring at them.

“Welcome to pottery 101!” Lexa announced, making a few adjustments to the settings before pulling Clarke and Aden away.

****

The kids danced through the street. It was late, nearly 3 in the morning, but they were on a high. They’d managed to trap the sisters in the kiln at school.

They’d won!

At Clarke’s insistence, Lexa accompanied them home. Aden said he’d feel better knowing Lexa was nearby.

So they tucked him into Clarke’s bed and they settled on window seat in her room. Clarke was determined to stay up until the sun rose.

It was only a couple of hours off after all.

As soon as she laid down with Lexa though, she found herself slowly moving closer and closer to her. Lifting her arm, she grinned when Lexa’s head settled on her shoulder, Lexa’s arm moved over her stomach, and her hand grabbed a fist full of Clarke’s shirt.

They were asleep in minutes.

A couple hours later, Lexa found herself waking up. She was cuddled up to Clarke too. It wasn’t the most comfortable way to lie but… she wasn’t going to complain.

“Are you awake?” She whispered into Clarke’s neck. Something about the rhythm of Clarke’s breathing told her she was.

“Yeah.”

Lexa moved to sit up a little more, propping herself on an elbow. “Can’t sleep?”

“I did.” Clarke replied, her eyes dancing between Lexa’s.

“Then why are you awake?”

“I was… watching you sleep?”

Giggling, Lexa shook her head. “That’s not creepy at all, Clarke.”

Moving slowly, Clarke reached up to push a loose lock of hair behind Lexa’s little ear. She let her fingers trace her jaw before falling back to her side.

“I was thinking that this could be considered a really weird first date.”

“Oh yeah?” Lexa smirked. She leaned a little closer. “You think next time I could maybe just take you to dinner or something?”

Nodding, Clarke lifted her head just enough to brush the tip of her nose against Lexa’s. “Is there going to be a next time?”

“If we actually make it out of this alive. Yes. There will be a lot of next times.”

Lifting her hand again, Clarke carded her fingers through Lexa’s hair. She licked her lips and lifted her head.

Just at their lips touched, a thud had them jumping apart.

“No!” Wells shouted from his perch on the bed. “The book! Close it!”

Clarke and Lexa fell off the window seat in their haste to try to stand. When they did, they found the book wide open in the middle of the room.

A crashing sound drew their eyes up.

Nia was there, staring at them through a hole in the roof. Echo and Ontari were already in the room, rushing toward Aden. They threw Wells aside, slamming him into the wall.

And then Nia called for her book.

Before Clarke and Lexa could react, Aden and book were both gone.

In her grief, Clarke tore her room apart. She tore down her posters and her pictures, she broke a few of her canvases. Lexa sat on the bad and waited.

When she seemed to be finished, Lexa stood and walked to her.

“Clarke.”

“We have to get Aden back! I can’t let them hurt him!” Clarke insisted.

She looked to Lexa with tear-filled eyes. Lexa cupped her face and shook her head.

“It’s okay. We’ll get him back. Wells has already gone to the house to try to distract them.”

“Lexa,” Clarke sighed, her hands coming up to hold Lexa’s wrists. “We need a miracle.”

“I head Nia say something to her sisters. ‘The candle’s magic will soon be spent. And dawn approaches!’” Lexa recited in a nearly perfect imitation of Nia’s voice. At Clarke’s blank look, Lexa shook her head and smiled. “The candle’s magic is only good for tonight. When the sun comes up, they’re dead.”

Nodding slowly, Clarke thought over her words. Then she cleared her throat. “Okay. But how do we make the sun come up? Dawn is still an hour away!”

****

“I’m going to enjoy sucking the life out of this one.” Nia proclaimed as they prepared the potion. “He and his sister have been nothing but trouble!”

“Well maybe if you hadn’t been hunting us all night, we wouldn’t have been a bother,” Aden shot back.

“He does have a point, Nia,” Echo said softly.

All that got her was an elbow to the stomach.

The sisters busied themselves around the house, adding little bits of ingredients to the potion. All the while, Aden talked to them. He chattered on about moving to Salem and how his mother’s family had deep roots in the area. He told them about little league and how he really didn’t think baseball was his sport, he was leaning more toward soccer.

“That won’t matter in a few minutes,” Nia interrupted, a slow smile stretching her lips.

“Want to bet?”

The sisters whirled around to find Clarke standing in the doorway.

“It was stupid of you to come here!” Nia said with a hiss.

“Maybe. But I know something you don’t know.” Clarke declared.

“Oh really?” Ontari taunted. “What’s that?”

Clarke smirked and pointed over her shoulder. A signal to Lexa. “Daylight savings time exists.”

As her hand dropped back to her side, light filled the room. She stood silhouetted in the brightness while the sisters screamed.

“I’m melting!” Echo shrieked as she dropped to the floor.

“It burns!” Ontari groaned, dropping to her knees and then her face.

Nia’s hands covered her face as she fell into a post and slowly sank down to the floor. “My beautiful face! I’m ruined!”

Dramatically, they fell one by one until they were all on the floor.

Clarke rushed forward, untying Aden and hurrying him outside. Then she turned back. She considered the witches sprawled on the floor. It was only a matter of time before they figured out what had happened.

So she ran to cauldron and tipped it over, pouring out the potion the witches had been brewing.

As she ran back to the door, she shouted, “Welcome to the 21st century, witches!”

****

The final step of the plan was to head back to the cemetery. The witches couldn’t touch them there and none of them had seen Roan in hours. During their prep time, Lexa had done a bit more research on witches and she thought she’d found a way to protect themselves even further than using the ancient magic of the cemetery.

They’d made it to the car, Lexa waiting in the driver’s seat, before the sisters even realized they weren’t dead. As soon as Aden was in the car and buckled, Clarke nodded to Lexa.

She threw the car in reverse and stomped the gas. She performed a 180-degree turn around so smoothly any stunt driver in Hollywood would be jealous.

And then they were speeding down the isolated road.

They were only alone for a moment.

Nia and her sisters caught up to them easily. Nia on a mop, Echo on a vacuum cleaner, and Ontari on her long handled duster.

Echo reached in the open window and grabbed for Clarke. A quick spray of Mace had her letting go quickly.

Through the driver’s side window, Nia had her hand around Lexa’s throat.

“Why do you even have the window open?” Aden shouted as he curled up in a ball on the backseat.

“It’s a nice night!” Clarke replied as she reached over to try to free Lexa. When she couldn’t pry Nia’s fingers off, she reached for the Mace. One quick spray and Nia was gone.

Lexa broke more than a few speeding laws to reach the cemetery in record time, Clarke holding her right hand the entire time. They screeched to a stop at the gates and rushed inside.

Just inside, Roan stumbled from the shadows. His eyes widened as he approached them, arms akimbo.

“Roan!” Nia shouted. She and her sisters were on the other side of the gate. “Grab the boy you fool!”

Instead, Roan grabbed for Clarke. His arms circled her waist, pinning her arms to her side, and he held tight.

“Run!” Clarke urged Lexa and Aden. “Wells! Show them where to go!”

Like a flash, the cat was gone. After just a second of hesitation, Lexa grabbed Aden and took off too.

“Kill her!” Nia demanded, hovering over zombie and the girl. “And get me that boy!”

Instead, Roan pulled a knife from his pocket and sliced through the thread sewing his lips closed. He smirked at Nia and shook his head. “Wench! Hag! Foul, evil witch!”

“I am your sister!” Nia growled.

“I’ve waited 350 years to say that.” Roan whispered in Clarke’s ear.

Clarke’s brows came together. She scrunch up her nose and turned her head away. “Say whatever you want, just don’t breathe on me!”

“I’ve no sisters. I’ve disowned you all!” Roan shot back.

As Nia shouted and shrieked, Roan released Clarke and jerked his head toward the direction Wells, Lexa, and Aden had gone. He waved an arm in front of him, telling her to go first.

She didn’t need to be told twice. She took off at a sprint.

“Zombie!” Aden shouted, pointing at Roan as soon as he spotted them.

“Whoa!” Clarke shouted, grabbing the thick tree branch from Lexa’s hand before she could swing at Roan. “He’s friendly. He just saved me from the sisters.”

Lexa glared at him before allowing the branch to drop to the ground.

Aden marched right up to Roan. “Hello.”

“Good morrow,” Roan smiled down at the boy. He spotted Wells sitting on by the empty grave. “Let’s get you in there, shall we?”

Lifting the boy easily, Roan lowered him into the grave. Lexa spread a thick line of salt all around, hoping that would offer the boy a little more protection. Then, she, Clarke, Wells, and Roan formed a protective front around him.

“It’s all useless you know?” Nia drawled as she floated toward them. She gestured to Aden who was glaring up at her. “I’ll have that boy, thank you.”

“Give it a few more minutes and you’ll be dust!” Lexa shouted back.

Suddenly, Ontari swooped down and grabbed for Clarke. She and Lexa sprang apart, diving out of the way. At the same time, Echo made an attempt to grab Wells. When the 3 of them were scattered, Nia made a low pass at Roan, swinging the mop head down at the last second, and knocked his head clean off.

Roan’s head rolled away, making whining signs as it did. Aden, ever the helper, scrambled from the grave to retrieve.

“Here, Roan,” He said as he handed it back to the headless zombie, “I think you lost this.”

And then, Nia had him. She dove down and snatched the boy up. She pulled him onto her mop and started lifting into the air.

Echo and Ontari rushed to join her. Lexa and Clarke grabbed the cord to Echo’s vacuum and held tight. She urged the contraption on, wanting to get a taste of the boy’s life.

“Let go!” Lexa shouted.

They fell to the ground as they released their grip on the cord. Echo flew forward, a blur in the air, and ran straight into Ontari. They both flew up into the air, clutching desperately at their impromptu flying apparatuses.

“Let him go!” Clarke shouted as she surged to her feet.

“I have just enough potion for one child,” Nia said as she held it up. She pulled the cork out with her teeth and spit it at Clarke. “And that will last me for a while. Then I’ll have time to make more potion and suck the lives out of all the children in Salem!”

Out of nowhere, Wells jumped onto Nia’s back. His claws sank into her flesh and his teeth bit at her ear. Nia recoiled, her hand leaving the handle of the mop to grab Wells and throw him to the ground. But, in doing so, she also dropped her vial of potion.

Clarke dove for it, lifting it in the air and smirking up at the witch.

“Let him go!”

“Give me the potion!” Nia shot back. Her hand lifted to Aden’s throat. “I’ll kill the boy!”

Thinking over her options, Clarke turned to Lexa for just a second. It was long enough for her shake her head.

She didn’t listen of course. Clarke surged forward and pressed her lips to Lexa’s for a second.

“Sorry,” She whispered as she pulled away. “I had to do that once before I… uh… just look after Aden for me? He’ll need a good influence in his life.”

“You aren’t going anywhere,” Lexa replied. She reached for the potion, scowling when Clarke moved it from her grasp.

Without another word, Clarke drank down the potion. She made sure she finished it all before she tossed the bottle behind her. She could hear it shatter on a rock.

“Now you have no choice! Give me back my brother!”

Nia lowered her mop toward the ground, glaring at Clarke the entire time. 5 feet off the ground, she shoved Aden away and grabbed for Clarke.

Up, up, up they went. Nia lifting her until they were 15 or so feet up.

“We’re coming, Nia!” Echo’s shouted could be heard through the trees. “We got lost!”

“You’re flying!” Nia shouted back. “Go over the trees!”

When silence met her answer, Nia shrugged. “They won’t mind if I start without them.”

She began to suck at Clarke’s life, a bright white aura that shined around her. Clarke struggled to get away. Instead she noticed the sun starting to come up over the trees.

All of a sudden, there was a shout.

Echo and Ontari came racing through the trees. Ontari ran straight into Nia and then bounced off her and into Echo. Once again, Echo and Ontari soared high into the air. Nia and Clarke, they fell to the ground below.

Recovering quickly, Clarke scrambled to her feet just as Nia lifted herself up.

“Sister!” Echo called out, a hand reaching for Nia.

It was too late. The sun was caressing her face. And then, in a puff of dust, she was gone. Ontari went right after her.

Hate filled Nia’s eyes as she ran for Clarke. She grabbed her shirt and pulled her close, once again sucking at her aura.

“Hey, Nia?” Lexa called out a smirk on her face. “I thought you couldn’t touch sacred ground?”

In a flash, Nia was a statue. A second later, the statue exploded when the sun touched it.

It took a minute for that to sink in. Clarke stared at the pile of dust that had once been Nia Azgeda. Then, she smiled and she laughed.

“We did it!” She turned to find Lexa sprinting toward her.

Opening her arms, Clarke caught her easily. She smiled as their lips touched for the second time. Before she could sink into it, Aden plowed into their sides. Both teenagers wrapped an arm around the boy. They grinned at each other and shared another soft kiss.

“Goodnight, good people,” Roan said as he crawled into the grave. He yawned and stretched.

“Thank you,” Clarke replied. “For your help.”

Waving her off, Roan yawned again and fell backward.

“He definitely earned a nap!” Aden announced cheerfully. Then his brows drew together. “Wait. Where’s Wells?”

“I’m right here,” Wells said from behind them.

Turning around, they expected to find Wells the cat. Instead, they found Wells the ghost.

“Thank you,” He said with a dip of his head. “I am finally free from the curse. I can rest now.”

“Take care,” Clarke said, returning his nod.

“I’ll miss you,” Aden added, his chin wobbling as he fought off tears.

Wells smiled and winked the boy. “I’m sure I’ll be able to visit next Halloween.”

And then he was gone.

“Can we go home now?” Aden asked.

Clarke nodded and rested her hand on his shoulder. She glanced at Lexa, smiling into another soft kiss, before nuzzling into her neck.

“I’ll take you home now.” Lexa agreed. She made sure Clarke was tucked into her side before heading toward the gate. “After all, I’m pretty sure Clarke’s going to want a nap before our date tonight.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you've enjoyed!!
> 
> As always, feel free to drop me a line (or a prompt) here or on [Tumblr](https://imaginaryhistorianme.tumblr.com/)


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